WSFA Small Press Award
Encyclopedia
The WSFA Small Press Award was inaugurated by the Washington Science Fiction Association
in 2007. The award is open to works of imaginative literature (e.g. science fiction
, fantasy
, horror
) published in English
for the first time in the previous calendar year. Furthermore, the Small Press Award is limited to short fiction—works under 20,000 words in length—that was published by a small press
. The nominees are narrowed down by a panel elected by the WSFA membership, and these finalists are then judged by the entire WSFA membership to select a winner. Throughout the process, the author and publisher of each story are kept anonymous.
The winning story is announced at Capclave, the WSFA convention
held in the Washington, D.C.
area each October.
Washington Science Fiction Association
The Washington Science Fiction Association is the oldest science fiction club in the Washington, D.C. area. It is also one of the oldest science fiction clubs, founded in 1947 by seven fans who met at that year's Worldcon in Philadelphia, the fifth Worldcon held.Since 1960 it has met on the...
in 2007. The award is open to works of imaginative literature (e.g. science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
, horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
) published in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
for the first time in the previous calendar year. Furthermore, the Small Press Award is limited to short fiction—works under 20,000 words in length—that was published by a small press
Small press
Small press is a term often used to describe publishers with annual sales below a certain level. Commonly, in the United States, this is set at $50 million, after returns and discounts...
. The nominees are narrowed down by a panel elected by the WSFA membership, and these finalists are then judged by the entire WSFA membership to select a winner. Throughout the process, the author and publisher of each story are kept anonymous.
The winning story is announced at Capclave, the WSFA convention
Science fiction convention
Science fiction conventions are gatherings of fans of various forms of speculative fiction including science fiction and fantasy. Historically, science fiction conventions had focused primarily on literature, but the purview of many extends to such other avenues of expression as movies and...
held in the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
area each October.
Winners
- 2007 Award: "El Regalo" by Peter S. BeaglePeter S. BeaglePeter Soyer Beagle is an American fantasist and author of novels, nonfiction, and screenplays. His most notable works include the novels The Last Unicorn, A Fine and Private Place and Tamsin, and the award-winning story "Two Hearts".-Career:Beagle won early recognition from The Scholastic Art &...
(published in The Line Between, Tachyon PublicationsTachyon PublicationsTachyon Publications is an independent press specializing in science fiction and fantasy books. Founded in San Francisco in 1995 by Jacob Weisman, Tachyon books have tended toward high-end literary works, short story collections, and anthologies....
) - 2008 Award: "The Wizard of Macatawa" by Tom Doyle (published in Paradox MagazineParadox (magazine)Paradox: The Magazine of Historical and Speculative Fiction was an award-winning literary magazine featuring original short historical fiction in all of its forms up to novella length. This includes mainstream historical fiction as well as other genre fiction with historical themes...
, Issue 11) - 2009 Award: "The Absence of Stars: Part One" by Greg Siewert (published in Orson Scott Card's InterGalactic Medicine ShowOrson Scott Card's InterGalactic Medicine ShowOrson Scott Card's InterGalactic Medicine Show is an anthology edited by Edmund R. Schubert and Orson Scott Card.Originally published in paperback by Tor Books in August 2008 , It contains eighteen stories from Card's online magazine InterGalactic Medicine Show including four from Card set in his...
, December 2008) - 2010 Award: Siren Beat by Tansy Rayner RobertsTansy Rayner RobertsTansy Rayner Roberts is an award-winning Australian fantasy writer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts , and completed a PhD in Classics in 2007, both from the University of Tasmania. Roberts's short stories have been published in a variety of genre magazines, including Andromeda Spaceways Inflight...
(published by Twelfth Planet Press, October 2009)